Piano-case.



C. H. HUBBELL.

PIANO CASE.

APPLIOATIOI TILED KAY IB, 1909.

Patented Dec. 21, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

G. H. HUBBELL.

PIANO CASE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 13, 1909.

944,036. Patented Dec..21, 1909.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. HUBBELL, OF DERBY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE STERLING 00.,OF DERBY, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION.

PIANO-CASE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 21, 1909.

Application filed May 13, 1909. SeriaI No. 495,792.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES H. HUBBELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Derby, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Piano-Cases; and I dohereby declare the following,when taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings and the numerals of reference marked thereon, tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which saiddrawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in-

Figure 1 a front view of a piano case constructed in accordance with myinvention showing the doors in an open position. Fig. 2 a view of theinner face of the lower front of a piano case showing the doors inclosed position. Fig. 3 a sectional view on the line a-b of Fig. 2. Fig.& an underside view of a portion of the key base showing thedoor-operating handle connected thereto.

This invention relates to an improvement in cases for pianos, and to theclass of what is known as inside players, that is, pianos which areprovided with pneumatic instrumentalities for operating the keys. Thesepneumatic instrumentalities are operated by means of bellows pumped bytreadles at the bottom of the case. These treadles are folded into thecase when not required for use and doors are provided to close theopening in the case through which the treadles project.

The object of this invention is to provide means for operating thesedoors, and the invention consists in the construction hereinafterdescribed and particularly recited in the claim.

The front 2 of the piano case is of usual construction the lower centerbeing cut away to form an opening for the clearance of the treadles 8,1, which are hinged to fold into the case in the usual manner. On theinner face of the lower front is a transverse rod 5 upon which the doors6 and 7 are hung to slide. Mounted upon a pivot 8 on the inner face ofthe lower front above the center of the treadle opening is alever 9, thepivot passing through the center of the lever. The lower end of thislever is connected by a link 10 with an arm 11 of the door 7 whichslides on the rod 5. The upper end of the lever 9 is connected by a link12 with an arm 13 of the door 6 which slides on the said rod 5. Betweenthe pivot 8 and the outer end of the lever 9 is pivoted a link let theouter end of which is pivoted to the lower end of a lever 15 the upperend of which is pivoted to the end of an operating rod 16 which isprovided at its end with a post 17. Pivotally connected with the underface of the key base 18 is an operating handle 19 having a hook end 20to engage with the post 17, this operating handle being arranged at aconvenient point for manipulation by the player. By turning thisoperating handle 19 the operating rod 16 is moved back and forth, and bythis movement turns the lever 15 which in turn moves the lever 9 and thelinks 10 and 12, thus moving the doors 6 and 7. Itwill be noted that theconnections of the links are at centers and so that the operation ofboth doors is uniform, both moving toward or away from the center at thesame speed. By providing the operating handle 19 with its hook 20 thelower front may be removed without difhculty, and as easily replaced.

I claim A piano case comprising a lower front formed with a treadleopening, a longitudinal rod mounted on the inner face of the lower frontabove said opening, doors hung upon said rod and adapted to slidelongitudinally thereon, a lever pivotally connected above said treadleopening, links connected with opposite ends of said lever and with therespective doors, a link connected to said lever above the pivot, asecond lever said link connected to the lower end of said second lever,an operating rod connected with said last named lever, and means formoving said operating rod whereby the doors are opened or closed.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses.

CHAS. I-I. HUBBELL.

lVitnesses:

PI-IILIPP E. Moon, C. F. MURPHY.

